A five-alarm fire that destroyed an apartment building under construction in the city's Mission Bay neighborhood on Tuesday is not yet under control this morning.

Firefighters are continuing to put water on the blaze, which burned at a construction site at Fourth and China Basin streets, but flames are no longer visible.

The neighborhood smells of smoke, and water is cascading down the sides of the gutted building and running onto Fourth Street.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said at a news conference at the scene this morning that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but noted that it started above ground.

"They were doing some welding, we don't know what occurred there," Lee said.

The building that burned was part of a development project by BRE Properties known as MB360. Company officials released a statement Tuesday saying that the building was known as Block 5, which contained 172 units under construction.

Lee identified the contractor as Suffolk Construction Co. He said a sprinkler system was being installed at the site but was not yet operational at the time the fire started.

The blaze was reported shortly before 5 p.m. and grew quickly, sending up a dark plume of smoke that could be seen from many parts of the Bay Area. Flames spread and engulfed the building, and there was initial concern that the blaze could spread to other structures.

Nearby apartments were evacuated, and heat from the flames shattered a number of windows of neighboring buildings.

"I think we're very lucky that the fire didn't jump any more," the mayor said.

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Welding was being done at San Francisco building destroyed by 5-alarm fire

A classic, fully restored Harley was lost, as well as a restored Jeep. Six residents lost their personal belongings. The apartment building at 1363 Broadway, Darien, was destroyed.

Sadly, a dog lost his life.

But no people were seriously hurt, or worse.

That bit of good fortunate is a credit, it seems, to the professionalism of two members of the Darien Volunteer Fire Department who lived in the apartment building.

Joshua Reeb and Paul Redden were home when the fire broke out sometime around 4:30 a.m.

Redden smashed through Reeb's door and woke his fellow volunteer. He said he smelled smoke. Reeb felt the door into the hallway. At that point, he said, his fire training kicked in.

"It was all fire training," Reeb said. "I knew right away from the smell and the heat it was a real one. It wasn't somebody burning something. It was real."

Reeb and Redden helped alert the other residents, including the landlord, who owned the building and had lived in the main apartment for 30 years. Reeb helped him down the second-floor fire escape.

"I knew I had to get out and I had to get out now," Reeb said.

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'Training just kicks in' as volunteers help evacuate their burning apartment building in Darien

SINGAPORE: From the second half of this year, the government will make productive technologies like the Prefabricated, Pre-finished Volumetric Construction and Cross Laminated Timber part of tender conditions for certain government land sales sites.

It will also be further raising the minimum buildable design and constructability scores in September this year and then again in September 2015.

These measures to boost construction sector productivity were announced in Parliament on Monday.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is building Singapore's first multi-storey development using Prefabricated, Pre-finished Volumetric Construction or PPVC.

Successfully used in the US, UK and Australia, PPVC allows whole apartment-sized units, complete with internal fixtures, to be installed on-site.

The new hostel North Hill, which can house 1,800 students, is expected to be completed in end-2015.

Mr Paul Chain, Chief Executive Officer, NTU Development & Facilities Management, said: "We are expecting 40% of labour savings. We are using a bit more materials, so material cost will be higher, but I think if we control properly, the increase in cost ought to be marginal, should not be more than 5%-10%."

NTU is also adopting another new technology - Cross Laminated Timber - in the construction of its new sports hall.

The engineered timber can be used as structural and non-structural components in a building project.

Responding to Channel NewsAsia's query, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it supports initiatives aimed at raising construction productivity by leveraging new technologies, such as Cross Laminated Timber (CLT).

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Measures to boost Singapore's construction sector productivity

How much is too much?

That's what some real estate insiders and lenders are saying about the surge in new luxury apartment units in downtown Madison.

The Cap Times cover story last week that took a look at the issue was the most-read story on captimes.com.

City figures show that in the "core downtown" area between Park and Blair streets, Madison added 396 apartment units in 2013, with an additional 1,440 either approved or under construction.

But the apartment building boom hasn't negatively impacted the downtown vacancy rate. In the fourth quarter of 2013, there were just 153 vacant units out of 11,400 available in the 53703 ZIP code (1.34 percent).

The most-viewed item last week was our gallery of archive and current-day photos of Carroll Street on the Capitol Square.

Here are the 10 most-viewed items on captimes.com from March 2 to March 8:

1. Photos: Capitol Square through the years: Carroll Street

2. Photos: The Ideal Apartments

3. Boom town: There's no end in sight to new, upscale apartments downtown, but how much is too much?

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Apartment boom, Carroll Street flashback drive week's most-viewed list

VA Apartment Complex Construction

A 50-unit apartment complex is under construction at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center Thursday, Mar. 6, 2014. Building 33 is being gutted, renovated and expanded to be turned into the apartment complex which is slated to open this fall. The complex will serve as transitional housing and is geared towards veterans including those with families. Michelle Lepianka Carter | The Tuscaloosa News

An $11 million, multi-story apartment complex for the homeless is underway at the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, five years after the project was first announced.

The 50-unit, 83-bed complex is intended for homeless veterans and their families. An existing building that previously served as an inpatient unit for the hospital has been gutted and will serve as one of the apartment buildings. A new, three-story apartment building is also under construction nearby.

"Tuscaloosa VA is extremely proud of this project because it is a direct reflection of the commitment from not only the VA to care for our nation's veterans but also the community's commitment to do the same," said Damon Stevenson, spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa VA. "This collaboration shows how many different agencies can work together to achieve something even greater for those who have given us our freedoms."

In February 2009, VA officials announced plans to offer seven acres of land, along with the vacant 30,000-square-foot Building No. 33 to any organization that was willing to use the facility to help reduce local homelessness. Instead of a temporary or emergency one-night shelter, the intended purpose is that the property be used for "good, supportive, ongoing care to break the cycle of homelessness," Alan Tyler, the medical center's former director said at that time.

Doug Hollyhand of Hollyhand Realty and Birmingham-based MAP Development have formed a nonprofit, Valor Grove, which is developing the project. The complex is being funded by a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a $210,000 grant from the City of Tuscaloosa. The remaining balance of the project is being paid for through low income housing and historical tax credits, said Daniel Conville, strategic planner for the Tuscaloosa VA.

Although the project is classified as "transitional" housing, residents will likely stay there long term.

"They'll be able to stay there as long as they meet the criteria for living in that kind of housing," Conville said. "Our goal is to keep them engaged in vocational and educational rehab, job training skills and job placement programs, so hopefully they can move out and be on their own in the community."

Programs through Tuscaloosa's One Place and possibly other community partners will also be in place on site for residents who are not veterans, said developer Scott McGee. Although the housing complex is targeted toward homeless veterans and homeless veterans will have priority placement, it's possible that there will be non-veterans living there as well, he said. Residents will pay rent, but it will be based on income and will vary, McGee said.

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Apartment complex for homeless veterans underway at Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center

By Glenn Griffith @CNWeekly

The large complex, one of the first in Clifton Park, is at 2 Hollandale Lane.

The fire resulted in no loss of life and no injuries to the volunteer firefighters who responded. An early report of two cats being lost in the fire was rescinded after the pets turned up later.

According to Clifton Park-Halfmoon Fire Department First Assistant Fire Chief Mike Horner, the fire was called in as an emergency at 11:30 a.m. March 2. The department, which is located approximately one mile away, responded with a total of 22 firefighters and three fire trucks.

When we arrived on the scene the flames were coming out of the first floor apartment and shooting up the side of the building to the second floor, Horner said. We had it knocked down in about an hour and stayed on the scene another hour looking for hot spots.

Other volunteer fire departments responding to the fire included the Jonesville Fire Department, West Crescent, Halfmoon-Waterford, Hillcrest, and Boght Corners. The round Lake Fire Department was on standby at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Fire station during the emergency.

Though the cause of the fire remains under review Horner said the two end units of the building where the fire started were a total loss.

The adjacent units have small amounts of smoke damage as well as some ceiling damage where the responders had to go through to check that the fire was not spreading, Horner said. If those tenants are displaced I think itll only be temporary.

Officials with the management of the apartment complex on Tuesday confirmed two units are a total loss and four units have smoke damage and minimal sheet rock damage. They said 10 residents have been displaced due to the fire.

In an unsigned statement the complex management noted the benefits of the fire wall construction and said it is providing most of the residents with temporary housing while the repairs are being made. Continued...

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Apartment fire displaces 10

In this week's Cap Times cover story, Mike Ivey reported on the number of new apartment units Madison is adding and concerns about the impacts on the price of housing and density.

In 2013, nearly two-thirds of the money spent on new development projects in Madison went toward apartments.

And in the "core downtown" that includes the area between Park and Blair streets, 396 new apartment units went on line in 2013, with another 1,440 approved or under construction, according to city figures.

The surge in apartment building serves as one way of explaining the growth in the number of construction jobs in the Madison area.

We reported last month that the Madison metropolitan statistical area (Dane, Columbia and Iowa counties) saw 15.8 percent growth in construction jobs between June 2012 and June 2013, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nearly two in five construction jobs added in Wisconsin in that time were in the Madison area.

The Cap Times' Changing Face of Madison page keeps track of the development projects that are altering the look of the city. When we rolled that out, we looked at how much the new construction spending on apartments has grown in recent years.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the number of jobs in industries at the metropolitan statistical area level, areas that include at least one city with a population of 50,000 or more and the counties with which it has an interconnected economy.

These figures are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, which surveys around 95 percent of Wisconsin employers.

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Growth in construction jobs comes with surge in new apartment building in Madison

AUSTRALIA'S building industry has contracted further with a sharp fall in new orders as the investment phase of the mining boom fades.

The contraction in the building sector deepened in February, according to the Australian Industry Group's Performance of Construction index which fell by 4.0 points to 44.2.

A reading below 50 points shows the sector is contracting; the lower the number the faster the contraction. A ready above 50 indicates expansion.

House building continued to expand in February (52.2) and commercial construction experienced strong growth (59.9) but a steep drop in construction linked to the mining industry dragged the entire sector down.

Engineering construction dropped 14.6 points to 39.7 while apartment building contracted for the second month in a row (46.6).

New orders across the industry fell to its lowest reading since July 2013.

This is the second consecutive month of contraction, dashing hopes of a rebound in the industry after strong growth in house building propelled the broader construction sector into its second consecutive month of expansion in December following several years of decline.

Ai Group director Peter Burn said other sectors of the construction industry were not offsetting the decline in mining investment.

"The mining investment boom is fading, as seen in the sharp fall in engineering construction activity and new orders and, even though there is an accumulation of positive signs, other sectors are not filling the void," he said.

"House building remains healthy and should gain greater traction if there is a reasonable conversion of strong building approvals into new activity."

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Aussie building sector contracts again

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 06, 2014

Clay Park Towers Apartments,(http://www.1890clayapts.com) a top Pacific Heights apartment complex in San Francisco located at 1890 Clay Street has announced the welcoming of their new Director of Residential Operations: Tina DiRienzo. Ms. DiRienzo joins the Trinity Management team with extensive experience in property management including renovation projects, marketing, and resident relations. She was most recently the recipient of the General Manager of the Year award from the San Francisco Apartment Association. She is coming off an extensive construction project and successful lease-up at the Pinnacle on Nob Hill. Her experience and professionalism will reinforce the already stellar residential satisfaction of this high-in-demand Pacific Heights luxury apartment building.

Our luxury high rise apartment complex in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of SF is one of the most desired properties to lease, and requires the best possible Residential Operations Management available, and we feel that Ms. DiRienzo is a perfect fit, explained William Harlow, marketing manager at Trinity Management Services. Our modern apartment rentals in this favorable location always have a long waiting list of people wanting to rent or lease the next available luxury apartment. Residential Operations Management is of the utmost importance to our continued growth and success in maintaining 100% capacity, and Ms. DiRienzos experience is exactly what we need to fulfill our commitment to accomplish these goals.

To learn more, please visit the apartment complex website at http://www.1890clayapts.com, where the interested party can browse Pacific Heights apartments for rent in a variety of floorplans, including studio, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments for rent.

About Pacific Heights Apartments for Rent in San Francisco

Pacific Heights is an affluent neighborhood of San Francisco, California. It is located in one of the most scenic and park-like settings in Northern California, offering panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay, the Palace of Fine Arts, Alcatraz and the Presidio. Its idyllic location provides a temperate micro-climate that is clearer, but not always warmer, than many other areas in San Francisco. Because of its affluence, Pacific Heights has many elite private schools. This includes San Francisco University High School; Drew School (formerly Drew College Preparatory School); The Hamlin School; Convent of the Sacred Heart High School; Stuart Hall High School and Town School for Boys, among others.

About Clay Park Tower Apartments

San Francisco luxury living is at its finest when renting an apartment at Clay Park Tower, located in the Pacific Heights District. Clay Park Tower offers studio, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments for rent or lease. Every modern convenience is at the renters disposal, with gorgeous hardwood floors, beautiful wood cabinets, stainless-steel appliances and black granite counters. Entertaining guests will be a true delight in this dream apartment rental.

The apartment also includes Comcast cable and internet services. With apartments near CPMC Medical Center and Lafayette Park, the views in San Francisco are abundant, and these amazing apartments offer views of the nearby Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco downtown skyline, SF bay and city panoramas, as well as Angel Island, Tiburon and Sausalito.

Renting an apartment in this Pacific Heights neighborhood brings all of San Francisco virtually at the renters doorstep. Every amenity of city life is just a short stroll away. Shop at Whole Foods Market. Spend the day in the restaurants, shops, theaters and night spots of Fillmore, Polk, and Union Streets. Rest and relax just a block away at San Franciscos hilltop jewel, Lafayette Park. Short term apartment leases are available as well as corporate suite leases.

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Clay Park Towers Apartments, of Trinity Management, Announces New Residential Director in San Francisco

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 07, 2014

Crystal Tower Apartments (http://www.2140taylorapts.com/) has announced the welcoming of their new Director of Residential Operations for their luxury top scale apartment building in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco: Tina DiRienzo. Ms. DiRienzo joins the Trinity Management team with extensive experience in property management including renovation projects, marketing, and resident relations. She was most recently the recipient of the General Manager of the Year award from the San Francisco Apartment Association. She is coming off an extensive construction project and successful lease-up at the Pinnacle on Nob Hill. Her knowledge and expertise will work seamlessly with the upscale apartment building located at 2140 Taylor Street near Russian Hill.

Our luxury high rise apartment complex near Russian Hill is very popular and sought out by people wanting to live in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, explained William Harlow, marketing manager at Trinity Management Services. Our apartment rentals in this favorable location almost always have a waiting list for rentals to become available. Residential Operations management is of the utmost importance and Ms. DiRienzos experience and expertise is exactly what we need to fulfill our commitment to tenant satisfaction.

To learn more about Crystal Tower Apartments, please visit http://www.2140taylorapts.com where potential apartment seekers can browse inventory of available one and two bedroom apartments for rent in the North Beach District.

About Crystal Tower Apartments

The Crystal Tower Apartments are located between Lombard and Greenwich Street and offer 1 and 2 bedroom luxury apartment rentals. With spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the San Francisco Bay from Russian Hill, renters are a short walk to North Beach's famous Italian dining and cafes, as well as Chinatown. Near the Financial District - Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, and Ghirardelli Square are just moments from these beautiful apartments.

Enjoy all the modern luxuries and amenities in these 1 and 2 bedroom apartment rentals, including a heated swimming pool. Furnished apartments are available for rent. Short term rentals are also available to accommodate corporate suite rental and leasing needs.

Crystal Tower Apartments Web. http://www.2140taylorapts.com Tel. (415) 885-0333

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Crystal Tower Apartments, a top North Beach Apartment Complex in San Francisco, Announces New Residential Operations ...